Best White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies Recipe (Soft & Chewy)
Soft, chewy white chocolate macadamia nut cookies with rich buttery flavor—your new go-to holiday cookie recipe!
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If you grew up going to potlucks like I did, you KNOW the dessert table had some heavy hitters. But every single time — guaranteed — the white chocolate macadamia nut cookies disappeared first. I looooove these cookies! I’d grab a few to eat at the party… then sneak a couple into a napkin for later. 🙈 Soft, buttery, sweet, crunchy… these cookies are pure magic.
And if you need a holiday gift? This White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies Recipe is a total winnah. Friends, neighbors, coworkers — everyone loves them.
Why You’ll Love These White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
This white chocolate macadamia nut cookies recipe is:
- Soft & chewy in the center
- Slightly crisp on the edges
- Loaded with creamy white chocolate and buttery mac nuts
- Comes together fast
- No mixer required
- Perfect for gifting, potlucks, and cookie exchanges
- A bakery-style cookie straight from your own oven
I highly recommend this cookie scoop and my favorite silicone baking mat for perfect, even cookies every single time.
What You’ll Need for This White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies Recipe
Dry ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Cornstarch
- Baking soda
- Salt
Wet ingredients
- Melted unsalted butter
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Egg + egg yolk
- Vanilla extract
Mix-ins
- White chocolate chips (Ghirardelli white chocolate)
- Macadamia nuts (Mauna Loa mac nut)
These Hawaiian macadamia nuts add the perfect buttery crunch and make this white chocolate macadamia nut cookies recipe taste like home.
How to Make White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
Time needed: 20 minutes
Here is my step-by-step guide on how to make these White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies perfectly.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients
Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth. Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond or coconut extract, and whisk until glossy.
- Combine Everything
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined—avoid overmixing. Add the white chocolate chips and chopped macadamia nuts. Fold until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Shape the Cookie Dough Balls
While the dough is still soft, scoop and roll 1–1 ½ tablespoon-sized dough balls. Place them on a baking sheet. Cover the tray and chill the dough balls in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days. Chilling helps the cookies bake into thick, chewy cookies.
- Bake Straight from the Fridge
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Transfer the chilled dough balls to a clean baking sheet, leaving 3 inches between each cookie. Bake for 12–13 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look slightly soft.
- Cool & Finish
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack. Optional: Press extra white chocolate chips or mac nuts on top and finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Tips for the Best White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies Recipe
- Brown the butter for next-level flavor
- Don’t skip chilling — prevents spreading
- Press extra white chocolate on top before baking
- Spoon & level your flour
- Make dough ahead of time for holiday prep
- Add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt — trust me
I store them in these Cookie Storage to keep them soft for days.
Storage for This White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies Recipe
- Keeps 5–7 days at room temp
- Freeze baked cookies up to 3 months
- Freeze dough balls up to 4 months
- Bake frozen dough balls by adding +2 minutes
FAQs White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies Recipe
You can, but your cookies will spread more.
Yes — reduce added salt to ¼ tsp.
Absolutely! Rough chopping creates that bakery look.
Use real Hawaiian mac nuts, add coconut extract, or mix in toasted shredded coconut.
Yes — it doubles perfectly.
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies Video Tutorial
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White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
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Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour plus 2 tbsp; spooned & leveled
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted brown optional; slightly cooled
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar light or dark
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond or coconut extract optional, Hawai‘i-style
Mix-Ins
- 1 cup white chocolate chips heaping
- 1 cup macadamia nuts roughly chopped
Optional Topping
- flaky sea salt optional, sprinkle on top
Instructions
- Cover and chill them for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth and combined.
- Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond/coconut extract until glossy.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients using a rubber spatula just until no dry streaks remain.
- Fold in the white chocolate chips and chopped macadamia nuts.
- While the dough is soft, scoop 1–1 1/2 tablespoon portions using a cookie scoop and roll into balls.
- Place the dough balls onto a baking sheet. Cover and chill them for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a separate baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.
- Transfer the chilled cookie dough balls to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them 3 inches apart.
- Bake straight from the fridge for 12–13 minutes, until edges are lightly golden and centers still look slightly soft.
- Optionally press additional white chocolate chips or mac nuts on top while warm, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- Cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
- Shaping the dough balls before chilling makes it easier to handle and ensures thicker cookies.
- Chill shaped dough balls for the best texture—chewy centers and minimal spreading.
- Bake straight from the fridge for perfect bakery-style edges and centers.
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Crunchy, buttery, and perfectly nutty—macadamia nuts cookies are always a win